Region Eight plans to strengthen health services

-outreaches, deployment of doctors in the works

-RHO

Region Eight Regional Health Officer (RHO) Dr. Ravindra Dudhnauth saysthe approval of the 2021 National Budget has secured the Region’s plans to deploy doctors to Sub-region One to enhance health services there.

Speaking with DPI, Dr. Dudhnauth said since his appointment in December, he has lobbied for resident doctors in the sub-region.

“We had doctors in Kopinang, Kato, Paramakatoi and we even had doctors at Micobie village in Sub-region Two. However, after I left, there were no doctors deployed over there. So, for 2021, one of our main goals is to have doctors again in the North Pakaraimas to serve the people.”

As of February 1, a doctor has been deployed to the North Pakaraimas to serve Kato, Kurukabaru, Itabac, Kanapang and other villagers. The doctor is also expected to travel occasionally to Paramakatoi to treat residents there.

Dr. Dudhnauth said he hopes to be able to deploy doctors to Monkey Mountain, Kopinang and Paramakatoi next month.

“Monkey Mountain has never seen a doctor before and by the end of April, they will receive one because of the 2021 National Budget. That doctor would have served at the New Amsterdam Hospital. I am grateful that Minister Dharamlall, Minister Sukhai and by extension the Government, listened and supported our plans,” the RHO added.

This new development, he said, aims to boost the delivery of maternal and child healthcare services in the North Pakaraimas.

Additionally, the health department plans to conduct medical outreaches to the North Pakaraimas every two months.

“In the next two weeks, we will have our first medical outreach which will last for one week, starting at Kato then Kurukabaru, Itabac, Kanapang, among others.  The location of these villages lies along a mountainous trail. It will be dangerous, but we have to do it,” he said.

Residents will soon benefit from services like ophthalmology, dental care, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA)/PAP smear screening, gynaecology and obstetrics, laboratory services, ultrasound, dermatology and others.

The medical outreaches will then restart in May at Kopinang and its surrounding villages will benefit, then Monkey Mountain and its surrounding villages by June month-end. Paramakatoi and its catchment is on the list for August month-end. The RHO said Chenapau along with Kurukabaru will then be served by September month-end.

Region Eight has more than 19 health centres, one cottage hospital located in Kato and a district hospital in Mahdia.